News list

What it feels like to be a seabird biologist studying seabirds in the Mediterranean!

19 December, 2023
In our previous blogs we learnt about seabirds and their incredible abilities. Today we will shine some light on the people protecting and studying them!

LIFE PanPuffinus! featured on ONE TV’s The Local Traveller

5 December, 2023
LIFE PanPuffinus! discussed on The Local Traveller, a local TV show on Malta’s ONE TV, featuring an interview with Project Manager Manya Russo at one of the Yelkouan Shearwater colony sites.

Growing up and learning on the ocean: a shearwater affair!

18 October, 2023
Now that the breeding season is over, our beloved seabirds are back out at sea until next year. What are the freshly fledged birds doing and how do they survive in a completely new environment?

Threatened breeding Maltese seabirds are at a high risk of plastic exposure

19 July, 2023
Scientific study reveals that threatened Maltese seabirds face high risk of plastic pollution, data collected through BirdLife Malta successive seabird studies contributes to the global assessment

Another challenging breeding season to come for Yelkouan Shearwaters!

19 May, 2023
A new breeding season for the Yelkouan Shearwater has started!

Accidental seabird bycatch discussed on BirdLife Malta’s NATURAlment TV series

27 April, 2023
Seabird bycatch discussed on NET TV’s NATURAlment, a weekly programme about the natural environment produced by BirdLife Malta!

Tackling accidental fisheries bycatch: A win-win operation

31 January, 2023
Learn more about the accidental catch of seabirds in fishing gear!

Safeguarding the Aegean islets for seabirds and wildlife

13 December, 2022
The field team of our Greek project partners HOS together with staff from NECCA have been based for a few weeks now in the Northern Dodecanese region with an important mission: the removal of rats from the valuable Aegean islets!

A last stop before going home, shearwaters raft together!

2 December, 2022
We continue to learn more about the awesome capabilities of the Yelkouan Shearwater!

LIFE PanPuffinus! discussed on BirdLife Malta’s NATURAlment TV programme

17 November, 2022
LIFE PanPuffinus! discussed on NET TV’s NATURAlment, a weekly programme about the natural environment produced by BirdLife Malta!

Impact of light pollution on seabirds discussed on BirdLife Malta’s NATURAlment TV programme

20 October, 2022
The impact of light pollution on seabirds and what LIFE PanPuffinus! is doing to mitigate its effects discussed on BirdLife Malta’s new NATURAlment TV programme!

The GREEN FUND co-finances the LIFE PanPuffinus! project

20 September, 2022
The Green Fund co-finances the LIFE PanPuffinus! project for 2022 with the total amount of €25,000 for the implementation of the Hellenic Ornithological Society (BirdLife Greece) actions

Navigating in the open ocean like a shearwater!

19 September, 2022
Discovering a little more about the awesome capabilities of the Yelkouan Shearwater!

Our favourite summer adventure!

4 August, 2022
Success for BirdLife Malta’s Yelkouan Shearwater Boat Trips 2022!

More amazing data about the foraging trips of Yelkouan Shearwaters in Greece!

3 July, 2022
The Yelkouan Shearwaters of Greece’s Northern Dodecanese region feed in the Black Sea as well!

Yelkouan Shearwater fledglings need your help!

24 June, 2022
We’re asking for the public’s assistance in rescuing young seabirds left grounded by light pollution.

LIFE PanPuffinus! project discussed on Television Malta

13 June, 2022
Our LIFE PanPuffinus! project features on the breakfast show of Malta’s national broadcaster, TVM.

New report: EU countries failing to protect seabirds

9 June, 2022
A new BirdLife International report reveals how EU countries are failing to protect seabirds. In our most recent blog we sum up the findings.

A journey with the Yelkouan Shearwater

2 May, 2022
During the 2021 breeding season, BirdLife Malta’s seabird team equipped some Yelkouans with a GPS tracking device. Here’s what we found out!

Fishers workshops in Malta as part of the LIFE PanPuffinus! project

8 April, 2022
In this blog, we summed up workshops we organised for local fishers and stakeholders to discuss seabird conservation and solutions to the threats Yelkouan Shearwaters face at sea.

How to eat fish sustainably and support conservation objectives

15 November, 2021
In this blog published on the occasion of World Fisheries Day, we explained how we are working with local fishers to research possible impacts on seabirds and to help develop safe practices, while respecting traditions.

Project features on Italian national TV

21 October, 2021
The importance of the Maltese Islands for seabirds such as the Yelkouan Shearwater came under the spotlight during the popular Rai Uno TV show Linea Blu – il mare on line in Italy.

Help us save stranded seabirds!

11 October, 2021
Light pollution is a major and growing threat for breeding Yelkouan Shearwater (Garnija), Scopoli’s Shearwater (Ċiefa) and Mediterranean Storm-petrel (Kanġu ta’ Filfla) in the Maltese Islands.

Working with Portuguese fishermen to reduce bycatch

26 September, 2021
Balearic Shearwaters love European anchovies and gather with gulls in large flocks around purse-seine fishing nets, in hopes of a meal.

The impact of the maritime industry on the environment

23 September, 2021
For World Maritime Day 2021 we penned this blog which also touched upon fishing and bycatch and the work we’re doing through LIFE PanPuffinus! to further understand this issue and how best to overcome it.

End of the monitoring season in Greece

28 August, 2021
After several visits which started in May, the monitoring season in the Cyclades island complex of Gyaros (which hosts the most important colony of Yelkouan Shearwater in Greece) came to an end in August.

Call for help to rescue stranded Yelkouans!

24 July, 2021
At the end of July we once again reiterated our call on the public to keep an eye out for stranded Yelkouan Shearwaters, which once grounded on land will not be able to make their own way back out at sea.

First disorientated Yelkouan Shearwaters of the stranding season recovered

8 July, 2021
The first six stranded Yelkouan Shearwaters of the season were recovered by BirdLife Malta during the first days of July, which marked the peak period when the fledglings leave their colonies on their first flight, sometimes getting disorientated due to light pollution ending up stranded on land.

Amazing news from Greece!

24 June, 2021
Fieldwork from the study of the largest Yelkouan Shearwater colony in Greece has revealed that breeding Yelkouan adults travel from the Aegean more than 2,800 km to forage as far as the Black Sea!

Our LIFE PanPuffinus! project has been launched!

18 June, 2021
The €3.45 million LIFE PanPuffinus! project was launched this morning at BirdLife Malta’s Salina Nature Reserve.

We’ve announced the date of the official launch of LIFE PanPuffinus!

1 June, 2021
The event will be held at BirdLife Malta‘s Salina Nature Reserve on Friday 18 June and due to space limitations and COVID-19 restrictions will be open only to a selected audience by invitation.

BirdLife Malta to continue studying seabirds on land and at sea

17 December, 2020
After decades of uninterrupted scientific studies about Malta’s seabirds, BirdLife Malta is proud to announce that it will continue studying seabirds on land and at sea following the start of a new project it has embarked on.